I have a related, but slightly different question. After several years being boat-less, I am about to close on 2006 Hunter 33. It is by far the biggest, nicest boat i have ever own, and i worked very hard for many years to be able to "afford" it (to whatever extent any of us normal people can really afford our boat addictions). I don't know if it is age/wisdom or just paranoia, but I am crazy worried about being able to close on it in time to get it winterized before something freezes and breaks. In everyone's experience living in this area (I am from up north), how close am I to being in extremis with respect to winterization?

I need to motor it around the bay a couple more times to move it from the owner's slip to a boat yard for survey and then to wherever I am going to keep it (probably Magothy Marina or the military marina at Carr Creek). I figure I can winterize the potable water, heads/wastewater and A/C systems right away.

I am worried about the Yanmar. I don't know how much of a pain it is to get the right water/anti-freeze mixture in the freshwater side, and, figure I might need several gallons of fairly expensive, high end anti-freeze for both the fresh and salt-water sides??? I am not as worried about the cost of the anti-freeze (although it will stink if I have to do it twice and it uses multiple gallons of $10-15/gal anti-freeze each time). I am worried about getting it done in time to ensure I don't crack the block...

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Gunk-Holer Joe

Don't sweat it you have some time, but I would pump all the tanks (Water and holding)dry ASAP, then put in a couple of gallons of pink antifreeze and run each outlet until you see pink. Don't forget about the stern shower if you have one.

The engine is pretty easy also and you use the same pink anti-freeze which is no where near $10 Gallon, even at West Marine prices. Many people leave their boat in the water year round and will take it out on those rare nice days over the winter and re-winterize the raw water side each time. You don't need to do anyting to the freshwater side. I built a bucket with a valve and hose that I use for my AC unit and raw water cooling. I just take the hose off at the through hull and connect my bucket then pour in a couple of gallons and crank the engine until I get pink out the exhaust and shut everything down. Same process for the AC. Its easily doable in a day.

make sure you winterize the anchor washdown pump if you have it and bilge pump. Any pupm or line which contains fresh water just run the pink straight through it

As far as the Yanmar. There is no need to winterize the fresh water side as that has antifreeze in it. Make sure its up tho the sorrect strength. There are good marine antifreezes which have sepcial anticorrosive additives also. In the winterization process I always change the oil then so its fresh in the spring and doesnt have any acids in oit sitting for a few months. In the spring I always change the impeller on the raw water
Yanmar pump so it doesnt fly apart during the year and clog the engine/ heat exchanger.
The raw water intake you need to develope a system like Palmetto said. I disconnect from thru hull and have an atachment hose with double barb to run pink antifreeze through till it runs out the exhaust. This can take about 3 gallons at least depending on the amount of hose and the size of water muffler if you have one.

Other winterizing tips is to have some kind of damp rid or like to absorb humidity. Have some tree oil product or kannaberra gel to prevent mold, Either take cushions home or leave them on end to allow air circullation and decrease mold.' If you have navpod make sure its coverd.

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